HYMENOPTERA. 



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settled in a difficult place, and you are afraid of being stung, you 

 hold the hive under the cluster of bees and make them fall into it, 

 either by shaking the branch to which the swarm is attached very 

 hard, or by means of a small broom, or even with the hand, for 

 then they very rarely sting ; it is hardly ever necessary to take 

 any precautions in approaching them, except for swarms which 



Fig. 324. Taking a swarm. 



have been fixed for many hours, or since the day before. When 

 the bees have fallen in a mass to the bottom of the hive, you turn 

 this gently over, and place it on a piece of linen stretched out on 

 the ground near the place where the swarm was, or on a tray, or 

 simply on the ground itself, if it is dry and clean. You will have 

 taken care to place on this linen a little wedge, a stick or a 

 stone to raise the hive a little, and to leave more room through 



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